This is how Kristen Stewart strikes a balance between not being ‘fake’ and keeping her sexuality private
Kristen Stewart at a fan screening of “Underwater” in Los Angeles. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty)
Actress Kristen Stewart has spoken of her reluctance to talk publicly about her sexuality while remaining true to her fans.
The bisexual Twilight star was previously warned to hide her sexuality to further her career, being told: “If you just, like, do yourself a favour and don’t go out holding your girlfriend’s hand in public, you might get a Marvel movie.”
But she refused to remain in the closet, proudly declaring on Saturday Night Live in 2017: “I’m so gay, dude.”
In a new interview with Style, the famously private star revealed why she chose to go public, despite the potential impact on her career.
“I’ve felt a responsibility to not be this fake thing who’s only putting out what people want to hear, but at the same time not wanting to leak details about my private life,” Stewart said.
“I was in the situation where hiding the fact that you’re with a girl is different from hiding your being with a particular guy, and that’s why I decided to say it openly.”
She continued: “But today’s generation doesn’t attach that much importance to gender roles. We don’t believe in those big distinctions and reducing everything to one kind of identity versus another.
“There’s so much more going on in the inside and a lot of young people today assume that naturally.”
Kristen Stewart at a fan screening of “Underwater” in Los Angeles on January 7, 2020. (VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty)
Despite her recent blockbuster appearances Stewart supports indie projects with as much passion, and as a director she’s on the lookout for untold stories about sexual minorities.
She’s currently planning on directing a feature film, The Chronology of Water, based on the autobiography by the American bisexual swimmer Lidia Yuknavitch.
“I’m always looking for stories and often when I watch a period film, I wonder where the gay characters are because gay people have always existed,” she said.
“But those stories were being very narrowly told and it’s only been lately that we’ve started to tell those stories.
“During my own journey of self-discovery, I’ve been able to play gender-fluid characters and I’m happy to be able to defend and tell those stories as a director,” she added.
“I don’t see a big difference between being an actor and a director – the two activities overlap and complement each other.”
